The Miracle on...Green Shag

Montana to Clark. Manning to Tyree. Jeter into the stands. All plays that will stand the test of time, and all have been worthy of the respect paid to them. Until February 24th, 2008. A day that will live in the hearts and minds of sports fans forever. The day that brought us...Caputo to Caputo.

Let me set the scene for you...

It was a cold Sunday morning in Farmingdale, NY. Frost tapped at the car windows on Damin Drive. Daddy was just returning from a grueling back workout, which included 5 sets of deadlifts that tested his intestinal fortitude and made his shins scream from the cold metal bar's pull. As daddy was finishing the last sips of his chocolate and peanut butter protein shake and whole-wheat bagel with grape jelly, Jimmy strolled onto the pitch, determined that this would be the day that "it" happened. Sure, there had been traps against the chest, but there had not been a clean "hands" catch with his Little Einstein ball to date. Today would be different.

As their piercing eyes met in a steely gaze across the green shag area rug, a look of determination set in Jimmy's eyes, one that replaced the tiredness from no sleep, the result of a minor cold he was battling like a warrior. After a moment of silence, the word came to his lips and he shot it out like a bullet leaving the chamber of a Colt .45..."Catch?"

Daddy picked up the ball, tossed it in his worn-down hands and said, "Ready, buddy?" Jimmy nodded with a calmness reserved for the pressure players - Messier, Jeter and Drury. This was his Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and Stanley Cup all wrapped up in one. As the brown and white ball entered the air, not a sound could be heard from the split-level house. Banky's brown eyes followed the trajectory of the ball and he licked his chops in anticipation of what would happen next. Jimmy's eyes locked on to the ball and his small arms rose in the air in unison. As the ball arced down, his small little fingers locked around it and grasped it, cradling it like fine china. Dogs howled, fans leapt up. Like a true champion, Jimmy acknowledged his admirers and went on with his business, as he knew days like this would never be few and far between.